China’s strategic maneuvers in South Asia have taken a dual-pronged approach: territorial consolidation and control over vital water systems. Two new counties, He’an and Hekang, established in the disputed region of Hotan Prefecture, raise alarms about China’s tightening grip over Ladakh.
Simultaneously, its proposed $137 billion hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo poses grave risks to downstream nations, including India. Together, these developments demand a critical reassessment of India’s strategic and environmental security.
TERRITORIAL EXPANSION IN HORTAN PREFECTURE (DISTRICT)
By forming He’an and Hekang counties, China reinforces its administrative control over Aksai Chin, a region India claims as part of Ladakh. This move mirrors past actions by China to formalize de facto control, eroding India’s territorial integrity and complicating border negotiations. For India, this represents a cartographic change and a challenge to sovereignty in an already volatile region.
HYDROPOWER DOMINANCE ON THE BRAHMAPUTRA
China’s plan to construct the world’s largest dam at the Great Bend of the Yarlung Tsangpo underscores its dominance over Asia’s water tower. This project threatens the perennial flow of the Brahmaputra into India and Bangladesh, potentially disrupting monsoon patterns, groundwater systems, and agricultural livelihoods.
Moreover, it exacerbates a hydropolitical arms race, with India announcing its largest dam at Upper Siang and Bhutan ramping up hydropower projects, creating an environment of distrust and unilateralism.
THE NEED FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION
Despite the severity of the risks, riparian nations remain disconnected, with none signing the UN Convention on the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses. China’s upper-riparian advantage remains unchecked without enforceable frameworks, leaving India and Bangladesh vulnerable.
CALL TO ACTION: IMDIA MUST LEAD EFFORTS TO:
1. Foster Regional Unity: Engage Bangladesh and Bhutan to create a South Asian water-sharing framework.
2. Leverage International Platforms: To gain global attention, highlight China’s actions at forums like the UN and G20.
3. Strengthen Domestic Preparedness: Invest in water storage, renewable energy, and agricultural adaptation to mitigate potential water shortages.
The territorial and hydrological challenges China poses demand an urgent, multi-pronged response from India. Strategic collaboration, both regional and global, is essential to safeguard India’s sovereignty and ecological security. Blaming Nehru does little to address today’s pressing issues.
